European Union condemns verdict against Umerov

The European Union insists on the immediate release of all citizens of Ukraine who have been illegally sentenced on the Crimean Peninsula and in Russia

KYIV (QHA) -

The European Union considers the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by the Russian Federation in 2014 as illegal and therefore does not recognize fictitious sentences of the Crimean "courts".

A relevant statement was made by the press secretary of the representative office of the European Union in Ukraine.

“The European Union does not recognise the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by the Russian Federation and therefore does not recognise this "court" and its sentence. The sentencing of Mr Umerov is a serious violation of his human rights, another example of persecution of the Crimean Tatar community, and a further and clear illustration of the severe deterioration of human rights on the Crimean peninsula,” reads the statement.

The EU also noted that the verdict is contrary to international law and that the European Union is unwavering in its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

"We reiterate that all illegally detailed Ukrainian citizens on the Crimean peninsula and in Russia must be released immediately," the EU stated.

Earlier, QHA reported that on September 27, the Kremlin-controlled Simferopol district court passed a verdict in the case of Ilmi Umerov and chose a preventive measure in the form of two years in an open prison.

Lawyer Nikolai Polozov noted that, given the state of Ilmi Umerov’s health, the sentence of two years in a settlement colony is equival to a death sentence. He also said that the Russian authorities might take Ilmi Umerov to the territory of the Russian Federation to serve his sentence preventing the access to his relatives and lawyers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine considers the verdict of Russian "judges" in the Crimea against Ilmi Umerov criminal and illegal, and the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko stated that the verdict in the case of Ilmi Umerov is shameful.

Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov is sure that the decision of the "court" in the occupied Crimea regarding the Deputy Chair of the Mejlis Ilmi Umerov is an attempt to force the Crimean Tatars to leave the Crimea.

Earlier, the Russian prosecutor requested a punishment for Ilmi Umerov in the form of 3 years and 6 months of suspended sentence, probation for 3 years and a ban for three years to engage in public and teaching activities.

Reference: On May 12, 2016, the FSB in Crimea initiated a criminal case against Ilmi Umerov under art. 280.1 for allegedly calling on the television channel ATR for actions that threaten the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.

Ilmi Umerov claims that the case against him was initiated on the basis of two phrases, pulled out of context and incorrectly translated, with adding the words he did not utter.